noun

despair

/dɪˈspeər/ · say it: dih·SPAIR

complete loss of hope

In Emotions & Moods

In more detail

1. (noun) the feeling that there is no hope and that a situation cannot get better

2. (verb) to lose all hope that a situation will improve

Examples

1. After months of unemployment, he sank into despair.
2. Don't despair—we will find a solution to this problem.

How to use despair

Despair denotes a profound and often paralyzing absence of hope, typically in serious situations involving loss, suffering, or perceived impossibility. It is stronger and more emotional than the neutral term hopelessness and carries a sense of active emotional distress. Despair is used both as an emotion (noun) and as the action of losing or giving up hope (verb, somewhat formal).

Common phrases

sink into despair
in despair
deep despair
cry out in despair
despair of doing something

Synonyms

hopelessness · despondency · dejection · desperation · loss of hope

Opposites

hope · optimism · encouragement

Word family

despairing (adjective) · despairingly (adverb) · despairing (verb, present participle)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 'despair of' (to lose hope regarding) with 'despair at' or 'despair over'; the correct preposition is 'of' when expressing what you have lost hope about (e.g., 'despair of ever finding work').

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